Part of Elizabethan Square in downtown George Town was demolished Saturday in preparation for a $5 million redevelopment of the site that involves opening up the interior courtyard to the public.
The Central Planning Authority granted approval to Rovida Estates (CI) Company Ltd. to redevelop the property in June last year.
The block, which houses five buildings – Amerigo House, Bodden House, Columbus House, Dolphin House and Eden House – was first constructed in the early 1980s, and has been home to several businesses and retail outlets over the years.
On Saturday, a bulldozer knocked down the eastern end of Columbus House, which faces Shedden Road, opening up access to the site’s courtyard, which, the developer says, will be revamped to become more accessible to the public.
Describing the site as being a key location in the town centre, Rovida Estates, in its 2024 planning application, said the overhaul of Elizabethan Square would play a key role in supporting the government’s George Town revitalisation initiative.
“This project aims to link the property’s historic past, as Cayman’s first landmark mixed-use development featuring a quiet secluded courtyard, to a re-envisioned future as a dynamic public place reconnected to its urban context,” the company said.
It added, “The modernized Elizabethan Square will again serve as a catalyst for economic development and tourism in the heart of the capital, attracting Caymanian residents, businesses, and visitors alike.”
Elizabethan Square houses several businesses and offices, some of which, like Cayman Travel Services and Island Art and Framing, are moving within the site while the redevelopment work is going on. Other outlets, like the popular Thai House restaurant, are remaining where they are and say it’s business as usual.
Courtyard access
Rovida Estates, in its planning application, said the redesigned square will be “flexible, able to host organized events, or serve as a quiet, shaded refuge from the heat of the day”.
The developer told the planning board in June that the site’s courtyard, or “piazza”, which would feature tropical plants and local floral patterns, could become a “landmark destination for local initiatives and festivals”.
There are also plans to add two food stalls at the east and west sides of the courtyard, and there will be a dedicated space allocated for a food truck in the forecourt of Eden House.
The planning application document noted that a moveable stage can be situated in the middle of the square for concerts and performances; in normal operation, it can be split into distributed shaded seating around a central water feature, with jets flush with the paving surface, “allowing kids a place to splash and cool off on a hot day”. That space, the developer said, could also be used to support temporary artisan fairs and markets.
“The goal is to create an inviting and engaging destination and experience that attracts visitors to shop, to eat, to meet and have a coffee, and generally to spend time,” Rovida Estates said.
“Shade is a critical factor to the comfort of the space and has been addressed through the inclusion of fixed shades around the perimeter of the front three buildings and courtyard, permanent shade structures throughout the square, movable umbrellas, and a mature tree canopy of both new and preserved trees.”
The redevelopment work includes the demolition of the eastern side of Columbus House; removal of the surfaces, fountain, planters and seating in the courtyard, which will be revamped entirely; upgrading the forecourt court at Eden House, including pavers and landscaping; and demolition of the staircases in the courtyard and replacement with concrete staircases at new locations to ensure access to the second-floor walkways are maintained.
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I’m very pleased to hear that a mature tree canopy will be provided to give shade in the in the central area, something which never occurred in the “enhancement” of Cardinal Ave which is now superheated with it’s brick paving.